We did not endorse Buhari’s re-election - Islamic movement

- The Islamic Movement in Nigeria says it did not endorse President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term

- The Shi’ite group says the body has never had a youth political forum as reported earlier

- The group recalls what its members have faced under the government of President Muhammadu Buhari

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), popularly called Shi’ite, has denied that its members endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), for a second term. The group is led by Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, who is currently in detention.

In a statement by Muhammad Ibrahim Gamawa of the resource forum of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, said the group that endorsed Buhari for a second term is faceless.

“We read with dismay an alleged declaration by a so-called ‘Shi’ite Youth Political Forum’ in Katsina state that the IMN has endorsed the candidature of Buhari in the February 16 elections,” the statement said adding that it “has never had any ‘Shi’ite Youth Political Forum.’

“All our communications are channeled from renown sources which have not been hidden from the general public.

“For the records, you may recall that it is the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari that launched an unprovoked attack on the Islamic Movement in Nigeria in December 2015, where 1000+ members of the movement were mercilessly killed indiscriminately and buried in mass graves.

“The attackers (Nigerian Army) killed three sons of the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, in his presence, shot him and his wife severally and incarcerated them in illegal detention for more than three years.

“That after securing an order for his release by the Federal High Court Abuja, the government flouted the court order and kept them in detention till date despite their multiple injuries and denied them access to medical attention.

“All these atrocities and many more, endorsing the candidature of Buhari will be endorsing all the atrocities committed by his government, including incarceration of Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife.

“No right-thinking person will believe that the movement will endorse a president that committed heinous crimes against its members.”